HANALEI — American Medical Response dedicated its newest ambulance station and ambulance, Medic 25, on Tuesday, under a canopy of morning passing showers in Hanalei, to an audience that included prominent Hanalei community leaders.
“This is important,” said Kahu Clyde Fujikawa, who officiated the ceremony that included blessing not only the physical property but all the hands that contribute to operating the facility. “I’m the pastor at Church of the Crossroads, and from where I live, I hear sirens throughout the day. The first responders are busy.”
Longtime Hanalei resident and businessman Michael Ching agreed.
“There was an accident on Sunday, and because of how close the ambulance was, that might have been the difference between life and death,” Ching, who co-chaired fundraising efforts for the budget shortfall of the new station, said. “When I heard about the accident, the team was ready to transport victims to the hospital by the time I got here. That’s fast.”
The new station is located within the Hale Halawai complex of buildings, close to Waioli Park, which, in the past, served as an emergency helicopter drops site. The facility is near the heart of downtown Hanalei.
The addition of the Hanalei station brings the total number of ambulance stations on Kauai to six, completing the network of service for the entire island.
“This station doesn’t just cover Hanalei,” said Tito Villanueva, the AMR Kauai Operations manager. “The range for this station is from Moloa‘a to Haena and completes coverage on the East side.”
Fire Chief Michael Gibson said it was ironic that during a flood event that closed the Hanalei Bridge 15 years ago, Kauai Fire Department first responders slept in this same building.
Adding to the excitement of having the Hanalei community leaders and representation from the Kauai County Council in attendance, the Hawaii Life Flight jet helicopter shrieked to a landing at the neighboring Waioli Park adjacent to the Waioli Mission and Mission Houses. The aircraft was available for tours and close-up views for guests during the dedication.
“This is the one we put on stand-by any time there is a situation taking place on Kauai,” said Danny Kao of the AMR Oahu Operations. “We need to work on getting one located closer to Kauai for faster response.”
